Shadows of the Past
Chapter 17
Christine was surprised when she walked downstairs the next morning to find a large suitcase next to the front door. Mike was nowhere around, but when she turned towards the kitchen, she noticed the coffee was made and there was a note on the kitchen island. She immediately recognized Mike's handwriting.
"Had to run to store to get a few things for the road trip and to get my oil changed. Start packing your stuff.
Mike"
It made Christine smile and she thought about texting Katie to let her know, but then realized she would be tempting fate. She decided to not and just show up at the farm with Mike, and hope the kids greeted Mike warmly. It might be a catastrophe but she didn't want to get the kids' or Mike's parent's hopes up. She packed her bag, tidied up the house and took the excess food to the Greene's. She let Tom know what Mike had said in the note, and he agreed to keep an eye on the house. By the time Mike got back, she was ready to go.
"Did you want to leave now?" Christine asked.
"Might as well." Mike answered. He had walked into his bedroom, took a handgun out of the safe, as well as an envelope of cash. He loaded the gun and carried both it and the cash downstairs.
"What was that for?" Christine asked.
"I don't travel without a weapon. Made a lot of enemies because of my time on the James. And I use mostly all cash now." Mike explained.
"I see. Figured it was to kill me with." Christine joked. It fell flat.
"No. I am not a good father but I would not take the only decent parent my kids have from them. Even I'm not that stupid." Mike said.
"Mike…it was a joke, but at one time, you were a wonderful father and you could be again. I can't say this will be easy, but it will be worth it." Christine told him.
"I'm glad you have so much faith in me. I don't and the kids sure as hell won't." Mike said.
"You might be surprised. I took the extra food from yesterday to the Greene's and I let Tom know what you said in the note. He's going to keep an eye on the house." Christine explained.
"Good. This your bag?" Mike asked, pointing at Christine's carry-on.
"Yeah." Christine answered. Mike grabbed it and his own bag, but had to put his back down. "You okay?" Christine asked.
"Yeah. There was a broken rib." Mike said. He was out the door before she could respond and his bag was pretty heavy, so Christine had to wait until he came back to get it.
"Back door and side door is locked. I also checked the locks on the windows." Christine told him.
"Good." Mike said. He set the alarm, grabbed his bag and followed her out the door after locking it. The first hour, he never said a word. The radio wasn't even playing.
"Can I turn the radio on?" Christine asked.
"Yeah." Mike answered. She found an old rock station that Mike would have liked before and settled back in. She noticed a little while later that he was shifting around a bit.
"If you're in pain; I can drive?" Christine offered.
"I'm fine." Mike answered. She reached over and turned the radio off.
"If you don't want to do this, don't. But don't put yourself through pain unnecessarily." Christine said.
"I deserve it and you know it." Mike yelled.
"Deserve it? Maddie and Matthew dying? You didn't deserve that. Why would you think that?" Christine asked.
"For how I treated you and the kids? My parents? Isn't there some sort of divine retribution or something like that?" Mike demanded.
"It doesn't work like that." Christine told him.
"You can't tell me in all those years that I didn't call or come visit the kids, there wasn't some point you wished harm come to me?" Mike asked.
"No! All I ever wished for was for you to come home and for the kids to be able to get past what had happened and all the missed years. Not that you would be hurt or that someone you loved to be hurt or killed." Christine answered.
"Why not?" Mike asked. He was still driving, shockingly enough.
"Because I still loved you. Now; if you're in pain, tell me the route and let me drive. Otherwise, shut up and save your energy for when you get to the house." Christine told him. He started to say something but decided to follow Christine's advice.
They drove and drove, but by dark; had only gotten to Ohio and couldn't go any further. Mike was in pain and they pulled into a small motel in a little town. Christine waited in the truck and a moment later, he came back out and pulled around towards the back. "They only had one room, but it has two beds." Mike told her.
"We've dealt with worse." Christine answered. It didn't bother her, but it probably did him.
"Yeah. We'll get on the road early and get there." Mike said. He unlocked the door and stepped into the room to check the room. His protective nature was still there despite everything.
"Can we get something to eat?" Christine asked. They hadn't stopped for lunch.
"Yeah. Maybe a pizza or something we can have delivered? I'm really tired." Mike said. Christine nodded, found a delivery pizza place, ordered one and settled in. It arrived within a half-hour, and they ate. They were both in two separate beds asleep by ten o'clock, and Christine only hoped the next day would be more peaceful. She had a lot to pray for.